Excise policy envisages bars to sell toddy, restaurants to serve beer

Thiruvananthapuram: The draft guidelines of the Excise Policy have recommended the sale of beer in restaurants and toddy in bars during the October to February tourist season in Kerala.
The draft recommended a quarterly licence fee of Rs 1 lakh. Restaurants with the two-star classification of the Tourism Department could serve beer and wine.

It suggested the sale of toddy in bars and tourism resorts classified three-star by the central Tourism Ministry. They can serve toddy tapped from the coconut trees on their premises. The government will follow its policy of licensing hotels starred three and above in the case of selling toddy.
These recommendations were announced in the government's liquor policy. Steps to finalise the policy will be made after the announcement of Lok Sabha election results.

Several decisions announced in the liquor policy, barring the auction of toddy shops online, and sticking barcodes on liquor bottles, were not implemented. The government's decision to provide liquor licences to industrial parks, and its 2021 announcement to allow liquor sale in IT parks, too, were not implemented.
The government has been trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to introduce a tracking system for vehicles ferrying toddy for the past three years.

Below are some of the announcements that were not implemented:
1. Health centres in Adivasi, coastal areas.
2. Sports carnival to wean youth from drugs.
3. Grace marks in exams for the members who excel in anti-drug clubs.
4. Social auditing against drugs in school.
5. Common design for shops to ensure quality toddy and hygiene.
6. Market toddy under the brand name, Kerala Toddy.
7. Assign Kudumbashree to produce value-added products from toddy.
8. Production of extra-neutral alcohol to manufacture liquor.
9. Brew wine for agriculture produces, and market them through Bevco outlets.
10. Commissioning of Malabar Distillery.